EVENTS took place across Warwickshire yesterday (Thursday June 6) to mark 80 years since D-Day.
June 6 1944 saw the launch of Operations Neptune and Overlord – the largest air, land, and sea invasion the world had ever witnessed, resulting in more than 209,000 Allied casualties.
More than 5,000 ships and landing craft set down more than 150,000 troops on five Normandy beaches in an action that would bring about the liberation of north-west Europe from Nazi occupation.
Warwickshire’s Lord Lieutenant, Tim Cox, participated in two significant events in the County to honour this historic day.
At Warwick Castle, His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent, Colonel in Chief of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, unveiled a new bronze statue of Bobby the Blackbuck Antelope, the mascot for the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
The ceremony, attended by invited guests, coincided with the D-Day anniversary, a battle in which the Royal Warwickshire Regiment played a crucial role.
In the evening, an Act of Commemoration organised by Stratford Town Council took place in the Garden of Remembrance.
Led by the vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Rev Patrick Taylor, the ceremony included the lighting of the Stratford gas beacon. This lighting was part of a broader initiative across Warwickshire and allied nations to celebrate the peace and freedom given to us through the bravery and sacrifice of those involved in D-Day.
Additionally, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Simon Miesegaes attended a service at the War Memorial in Euston Place, Leamington, organised by the Leamington branch of the Royal British Legion.
Meanwhile, in Rugby, the town marked the anniversary with a special service at the Hillmorton War Memorial in High Street.
Representatives from the Bilton, Hillmorton and Rugby No.1 branches of the Royal British Legion attended the Sunset Service, during which members of the public placed tea-lights in remembrance of the fallen.
Deputy Mayor Barbara Brown lit the borough’s International Tribute beacon at the war memorial.
Rugby Borough Council also lit a Lamp Light of Peace at the Town Hall – joining thousands of organisations, businesses and public buildings across the country marking the 80th anniversary by lighting a simple oil lamp.
Tim Cox, Warwickshire’s Lord Lieutenant, said: “It’s an honour to be part of these commemorative events, paying tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of those who participated in the D-Day landings.
“Their courage and determination changed the course of history, and it is vital that we continue to remember and honour their legacy.”
